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Deadly house fires up in Ontario as Thorold Fire pleads to check your smoke alarms

Government campaign against microwaving face masks among pandemic information campaigns
FIRE
A house fire rages in Ottawa, Jan 19, 2019. (Archive photo by Scott Stilborn/Ottawa Matters)

Thorold Fire ask residents to keep on top of changing batteries in smoke alarms and plan their escape plans after devastating numbers from the province show fire-related fatalities up 65 percent so far this year between Jan. 1 and May 4, compared to the same period last year.

"People need to take responsibility to save their lives," said Vince Giovanni, fire prevention officer to Thorold News.

In March of 2020 alone, 17 Ontario residents died in house fires amidst the lockdown that has been ongoing for about 11 weeks.

The month after, on April 19, a 16-year old Thorold teenager died in a house fire that is still under investigation by authorities.

Fire crews are now hitting select areas, dropping off educational flyers and information how to contact them for further guidance.

"It is one of the things we have to our advantage. People are at home and have a chance to look over things around the house. Check the batteries in smoke-alarms and carbon monoxide monitors. Develop a home escape plan and practice it together as a family. Especially if you have kids at home who can't go to school," Giovanni continued.

He admits trying to hammer in the message can be frustrating since it is a necessity that easily slides down low on the to-do list.

"We are so complacent about these things and it is frustrating. We know that it is the law to have smoke-alarms, but do we really want to enforce it like that?

We are looking for compliance."

Wether the increased time spent at home could play a role in the increasing numbers is hard to tell, said Giovanni.

However, a government campaign that rolled out on Twitter the other day suggested that some Ontarians could be fiddling with potentially deadly outcomes when trying to sterilize their N95 masks.

Something that seemingly has occurred in several places in North America.